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Panel hears bill to require ASL be eligible for public‑employee language pay differential
Summary
Senate Bill 731 would require public employers that pay a differential for bilingual or multilingual skills to provide the same differential for employees’ use of American Sign Language (ASL). Supporters said the change would recognize ASL as a language and help address interpreter shortages by incentivizing hiring of ASL‑proficient workers.
Senate Bill 731 was the subject of a short public hearing April 23 before the House Committee on Labor and Workplace Standards. The measure would require that when a public employer’s policy provides a pay differential for use of bilingual or multilingual skills in assigned duties, the policy must also provide a differential for an employee’s use of American Sign Language.
Senator Sarah Gelser‑Blue, state senator from…
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